Under normal circumstances, Frank Louis Amodeo would be honored as a captain of industry. In only a few years he had built a billion dollar enterprise, starting with a few thousand dollars and a couple of assistants. Instead, he is caged in a federal prison.
On the outside, Mr. Amodeo had orchestrated the creation or acquisition of almost 100 companies, overseeing more than 3,000 employees. All businesses were strategically interwoven to create more business for each other, while also reducing the frictional costs of operation. Most of the acquired companies were severely distressed. Mr. Amodeo would secure the resources necessary to salvage the businesses and quickly incorporate them into the network of other companies in the

enterprise. The process was designed to infuse new revenue into the distressed companies, while preserving their remaining resources and making a good faith effort to ensure all creditors a fair resolution.
As can be expected with the acquisition of severely distressed businesses, there will inevitably be those who feel they've been taken advantage of. More often than not, such feelings stem from an inability to acknowledge the failures leading to the distressed condition. Unrealistic expectations, bruised egos or fundamental misunderstandings of the economic or legal realities can compound matters. Despite the odds of human frailty, the majority of those involved with Mr. Amodeo recognized his unique ability to create and successfully employ strategies that saved jobs and assets - along with an understanding that he upheld strict ethical standards and an unwavering, noble intent.
Why then would someone of such character and acumen end up with a sentence of more than 20 years in federal prison? This site is dedicated to gathering all the information needed for anyone wishing to understand the whole story; the history, the business, the criminal accusations and the filings; to learn for themselves what transpired. After the federal investigation was initiated for non-payment of payroll withholding taxes, many of the businesses collapsed or continued on; either alone or as part of other companies - such as Florida Industrial Electric, Tactical Intelligence, Temporary Labor Staffing, and a few others.
Severely distressed employee leasing companies were part of Mr. Amodeo's acquisitions. Along with these acquisitions came an acknowledged, but unknown, amount of IRS debt. In the process of saving these companies as viable businesses, thus allowing them to pay the IRS and other debtors, even more IRS debt accumulated. Mr. Amodeo hired top CPA's and attorneys to work with the IRS, along with other creditors, and all this was done with the knowledge and blessing of the IRS to achieve these goals. The IRS understood that the only alternative was to have these companies file for bankruptcy, which would have almost immediately killed the businesses, cost thousands of jobs, left creditors with nothing and destroyed any chance of the IRS - and American taxpayers - ever collecting any of the debt still owed.
Why would the U.S. Attorney's office then initiate an investigation which would freeze company assets and accounts, effectively chilling the businesses, when the IRS was aware of and supportive of the business plan to salvage the businesses? Why would the investigators threaten Mr. Amodeo's attorneys and legal staff to prevent him from having adequate defense council? Why would there be charges of a conspiracy with no co-conspirators? Why would the IRS and the IRS's attorneys (the U.S. Attorney's Office) not be considered co-conspirators? Why would Mr. Amodeo's attorney tell him that what he did was illegal when it was not illegal?
Perhaps the toughest question to have answered is why the government decided to strong-arm a conviction, knowing full well that it would destroy a business trying to preserve the assets owed to the government?
Mr. Amodeo has been asking these questions - and myriad others - through a series of pleadings and filings in the federal courts. Now those courts are beginning to listen, and to echo those same questions to the responsible government agents and agencies. There is still a long way to go along this slow and tedious path to reverse unjust decisions and overcome the bad advice creating these problems in the first place.
In the mean time, Mr. Amodeo continues his incarceration. Far from languishing in the confines of his captors, Mr. Amodeo dedicates his imposed exile from entrepreneurialism to the study of criminal law, helping other inmates similarly burdened with unjust verdicts or sentences. The struggle continues.